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Chapter 8. Land and Submerged Lands Use

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Guam and CNMI Military Relocation Draft EIS/OEIS (November 2009) CHAPTER 8. LAND AND SUBMERGED LANDS USE 8.1 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 8.1.1 Definition of Resource This chapter describes and analyzes impacts of the proposed action on land and submerged lands ownership and management, and land and submerged lands use. Submerged lands refer to coastal waters extending from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) coastline into the ocean 3 nautical miles (nm) (5.6 kilometers [km]), the limit of state or territorial jurisdiction. Land use discussions for this Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) include civilian and military existing and planned land uses, and land use planning guidance that directs future development. With respect to land ownership on Tinian, fee interest ownership is the primary means of private land ownership; leases or easements may also be used for land transfer or management purposes. On Tinian, the Department of Defense (DoD) leases approximately two-thirds of the total island area, exerting a notable influence upon Tinian land use. This chapter is organized to first look at existing conditions, then impacts are identified by alternatives and components. The chapter concludes with identification and discussion of potential mitigation measures that apply to significant impacts. The region of influence (ROI) for land use is land and submerged lands of Tinian. The proposed action is limited to Tinian; therefore, the emphasis is on Tinian with background information provided on CNMI. 8.1.2 Tinian Article XI and XII of the CNMI Constitution states that public lands collectively belong to the people of the Commonwealth who are of Northern Marianas decent. These lands were originally to be managed by the board-governed autonomous government agency known as the Marianas Public Land Authority. In 2006, the governor replaced the Marianas Public Land Authority with the Department of Public Lands (DPL). The DPL is under the executive branch and is the official government agency responsible for the administration and deposition of public lands in the CNMI. These public lands are available for lease for commercial purposes. Land can be privately owned in the CNMI, but only by persons of “Northern Marianas descent,” which is defined as persons who are “of at least one-quarter Northern Marianas Chamorro or Northern Marianas Carolinian” and those persons are further defined as those who were living in the Northern Marianas in 1950. The Northern Mariana Islands became self-governing under the terms of the “Covenant to Establish a CNMI in Political Union with the United States of America (Covenant)” that was negotiated with the United States (U.S.) (U.S. and CNMI 1975a). The Covenant defines the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S., recognizing sovereignty of the U.S., but limiting, in some respects, the applicability of federal law. The Covenant was approved by Northern Mariana Islands voters on June 17th, 1975, and after approval by the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, then President Ford signed Public Law 94-281 enacting the Covenant on March 24, 1976. VOLUME 3: MARINE CORPS – TINIAN 8-1 Land and Submerged Lands Use Guam and CNMI Military Relocation Draft EIS/OEIS (November 2009) 8.1.2.1 CNMI DoD Land Lease and Management Article VIII of the Covenant (1975a) stated that the following property would be “made available to the U.S. by lease to enable it to carry out its defense responsibilities” (Figure 8.1-1): • On Tinian, approximately 17,799 acres (ac) (7,203 hectares [ha]) and the waters immediately adjacent thereto • On Saipan, approximately 177 ac (72 ha) at Tanapag Harbor • On Farallon de Medinilla, approximately 206 ac (83 ha) encompassing the entire island the waters immediately adjacent thereto The lease was issued on January 6, 1983 for an initial term of 50 years, and with an option for the U.S. to renew for a succeeding additional 50-year term. A separate Technical Agreement Regarding Use of Land to Be Leased by the United States in the Northern Mariana Islands (Technical Agreement) was simultaneously executed with the Covenant that provided for the leaseback of property and joint use arrangements for San Jose Harbor and West Field on Tinian (U.S. and CNMI 1975b). The Technical Agreement allowed for leaseback on Tinian for agricultural and grazing type uses for a sum of one dollar per acre per year and leaseback at Tanapag Harbor on Saipan to be used for uses compatible with military use. The Technical Agreement also allowed the leaseback of the remaining leased property on Saipan at no cost for use as a memorial park to honor those who died in the World War II Marianas campaign (Navy Facilities Engineering Command [NAVFAC] Pacific 2008). The remaining portion of the lease area at Tanapag Harbor on Saipan is used for a U.S. Army Reserve Center. On January 6, 1983, a lease agreement covering the above lands was signed and the Navy assumed control and possession. Any non-military uses within the leased areas must be approved by the Navy (NAVFAC Pacific 2008). No lands on Rota are included under the lease; however, the CNMI Government allows the DoD uses of certain areas on Rota as well as non-lease areas on Tinian On Tinian, the DoD uses the commercial harbor, Tinian International Airport, and a staging area near San Jose Village (refer to Table 8.1-1). A right-of-entry agreement was granted for Navy SEAL training on Rota. The area of use is limited to West Harbor in Song Song Village and the adjacent Angyuta Island (Commander of the Navy Region [COMNAV] Marianas 2004). 8.1.2.2 CNMI Submerged Lands Ownership and Management Article XI of the Commonwealth Constitution states that “the submerged lands off the coast of the commonwealth are public lands belonging collectively to the people of the Commonwealth who are of Northern Marianas descent.” The Commonwealth jurisdictional boundaries extend 3 nm (5.6 km) offshore and are managed by the DPL. Although jurisdiction has been disputed in the past, CNMI v. U.S. (2002) concluded that “the U.S. possesses paramount rights in and powers over the waters extending seaward of the ordinary water mark on the Commonwealth coast and the lands, minerals and other things of value underlying the waters…” (Navy 2009). VOLUME 3: MARINE CORPS – TINIAN 8-2 Land and Submerged Lands Use PAGAN TINIAN SAIPAN FDM Figure 8.1-1 CNMI Lands SARIGAN ANATAHAN FARALLON DE MEDINILLA SAIPAN TINIAN AGUIJAN S Ushi a ROTA ip "Cross" a n Point C Philippine h a Marpi GUAM n n Point el Sea Unai Pacific Chulu North Army Reserve Ocean FieldField Unai Center Chiget Miles 000.2 .4 EMUA Tanapag IBB Bird IBB Harbor Unai Island Puerto 0 0.25 0.5 Dankulo Sanctuary Kilometers Rico Garapan LBALBA ROTA TinianTinian AirportAirport Pina (West(West Field)Field) San Jose Lau Lau Bay Tinian Harbor Saipan Saipan Rota International International International Airport Source: DPL 2009b Carolinas Airport Marpo Pacific Point Agingan Pacific Point Ocean Songsong Naftan Ocean Point Pacific NSWU-1 Forward Ocean Staging Base Augyuta Island Miles Miles -Boat Maintenance Miles 031.5 042 -Bivouac 042 024 02.55 036 Kilometers Kilometers Kilometers Printing Date: Oct 27, 2009; M:\projects\GIS\8806_Guam_Buildup_EIS\figures\Current_Deliverable\Vol_3\8.1-1.mxd 2009; 27, Date: Oct Printing 8-3 Guam and CNMI Military Relocation Draft EIS/OEIS (November 2009) 8.1.2.3 CNMI Land Use Based on a DPL 2000 report, 58% of CNMI land was public land. Of these public lands, the percentages allocated for different land uses are shown in Table 8.1-1. The U.S. military does not have permanently stationed personnel on any island of the CNMI. The leased lands on Tinian, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla, are used for training purposes only. Table 8.1-1. Percent Breakdown of Land Use for Public Lands in the CNMI Land Use Category % Conservation and Wildlife 8.9 Temporary Agriculture and Grazing 3.7 Public Facilities 7.5 Village Homesteads 6.3 Golf Courses 9.3 Transportation 2.1 Land Exchange 0.5 Commercial and Hotel 15.0 Other 46.6 Source: CNMI Department of Commerce 2002. A Land Use Master Plan is being prepared for Saipan and should be completed in 2009. A Tinian Land Use Master Plan has begun but relevant land use information derived from this planning process is not currently available (DPL 2009a). 8.1.2.4 Coastal Zones The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) was promulgated in 1972 as a means to ―…preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance, the resources of the Nation‘s coastal zone for this and succeeding generations‖ through ―…the development and implementation of management programs to achieve wise use of the land and water resources of the coastal zone, giving full consideration to ecological, cultural, historic, and esthetic values as well as the needs for compatible economic development...‖ (16 U.S. Code [USC] § 1451-1466 [2005]). The CZMA is administered through local programs designed in cooperation with the federal government. Federal consistency requirements of the CZMA require that federal activities comply to the greatest extent possible with applicable local management programs. Non-federal activities must comply fully with local management programs if they require a federal permit or license, or if they receive federal funding (15 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 930). Land/submerged lands under federal jurisdiction is excluded from the territorial coastal zone. According to the CZMA, federal activities that affect any land or submerged lands use or natural resource of a territory‘s coastal zone shall be carried out in a manner that is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the enforcement policies of federally-approved territorial Coastal Zone Management Program.
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